Leo and the Chocolate Factory
by TheGrandSpecter
Summary: ..."A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" ... Thrown into an orphanage after the deaths of his parents, aloof and reclusive Leo spends his days reading book after book until the day he encounters a mysterious stranger who invites him to a strange but wondrous chocolate factory. -Inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-
1. Chapter 1

Leo watched as the many children snatched multi-colored candies off the shelves from outside the candy store. He had no opinion, no words to say, and no feeling of jealously towards them. He just simply stared at them with curiosity.

His pockets were empty, the loose folds of his light brown vest held not a cent. Sticking his hands in his pant pockets, he turned and treaded down the street.

When he came to a large iron gate, he gazed up at the high towers of the dark factory. Although he had never been there before, he felt something draw him towards the factory. This puzzled Leo for what could possibly be so alluring about an old rundown deserted place. Of course he had heard stories about it being haunted and other such nonsense, but they were just stories.

The sky was beginning to grow darker. He knew he had to get back to the complex before _she_ got angry.

Suddenly, Leo felt a hand slap on his shoulder, causing him to nearly jolt out of his skin. His body went cold.

"I see you are curious about this factory." A sly sinister voice whispered in his ear.

Leo shuffled round, quickly stepping some feet away from the stranger. His face was surely white when he caught sight of the figure's face. He quickly sighed when he saw that the figure was only a impecunious happy tinker. Even so, he kept his guard up since these were dangerous streets and no one could be trusted in these harsh times.

"My apologies for startling you…" The tinker smiled tenderly, despite being dressed head to toe in wet rags and dirty clothes. He even has a spot of dirt smudged on his cheek.

Leo just watched the tinker cautiously, pondering his friendliness, noticing the strange man's mysterious blood-red eye.

"Pardon me, but were you looking at that factory there?" He gestured towards the factory with a long finger.

Leo didn't say a word, just simply stared perplexed at the man.

"You know, that factory holds a great many things, wondrous things that would make your hair stand on end and your jaw drop to the floor." He held up a finger and pressed it to his lips. "I would steer clear of the place if I were you."

"Why?" Leo answered, his eyes boring into the tinker. The tinker turned his back on the boy, and began to walk away, but before he did so, he spoke these words, "Nobody ever goes in, and nobody ever comes out."

* * *

"Leo, where have you been off to this whole time?" Madam scolded, her face growing red as an apple, the lines of her face tightened. With masculine strength, she shoved Leo into the main room, and with a strict voice, she said, "You have chores to do here. If I catch you wandering back in here during chores, so help me I—"

"Ms. Penstemon!" One of the boys, a red-head that Leo had forgotten the name of, ran up to the Madam, completely out of breath. "Charlie spilled the hot wax on the floorboards. He burned his hands." This startled Ms. Penstemon so much that she seemed about to strike him but he had stopped only inches from her so if she wanted to smack him, she had to step closer. With fiery brown eyes, Ms. Penstemon glared at the red-head then threw a disgusted look in Leo's direction.

"That good-for-nothing boy!" She raged angrily, wildly trudging her bulk down the hallway.

Everything was silent for a moment. The red-haired boy stared at Leo, with shy bright blue eyes. Leo stared back, unsure of whether to make conversation or not.

Suddenly, a tear ran down the red-haired boy's face, and this made Leo uncomfortable. "Is Charlie alright?" Leo asked, softly, trying not to look the red-haired boy in the eyes.

"He's alright but I'm not so sure about now though…I just…panicked…" The boy twiddled his fingers nervously, with a sad face.

Leo didn't know how to answer. He was very honest about things and that often got him into trouble. He found if he held his tongue, he was spared from harsh punishment more than usual.

There was a loud thudding noise that came from down the hallway, followed by three more like it. The other boy twitched while Leo stood still but knew the same punishment would await him when Ms. Penstemon returned.

* * *

"So Leo, I heard that you wandered off again today? Did the beldam punish you?"

Leo didn't answer the pig-faced girl as she propped her hands on her small hips and did not budge. Leo simply scanned the pages of his book, his mind trying to veer off into some distant place.

"You're so weird. It's like you enjoy getting beaten." She folded her arms, circling her head around to glance at all the other faces in their beds.

Charlotte or "Lotti" as the other kids called her, was one of the few that the other children couldn't stand. She was snobbish and prideful, with a slight streak of sadism. With every word she spoke, she lashed out at the others after their punishment, and praised herself as the good "daughter."

She curled a lock of her pink hair with the tip of her finger, smirking with a sense of confidence. "You guys are all so stupid. I never get in trouble. You should follow my example." She remarked.

"Who would do that?" one black-haired boy chortled. "All you do is blame others. I saw you today. You spilled the wax that burned Charlie's hands." The boy held her icy gaze, with disapproval.

"I… did not!" Lotti stammered, her face reddening.

"Yeah right." The black-haired boy snorted, his thick eyebrows furrowing as he gave her a sarcastic but mocking look before pulling the covers over himself.

Lotti crossed her arms and turned back to Leo. Leo continued reading quietly. Lotti had a thought to swipe the book away from Leo but she knew better than that. Leo, she knew, would not hesitate to pull her hair or even push her to get his book back. She held her breath, puffing her red face up and stomped away to her bed.

After several minutes had passed, a small silvery voice whispered in Leo's ear. He was startled out of his reading, turned, and gawked at the eyes of Elizabeth.

"So did you go to the candy store again?" Elizabeth asked, giving Leo a clever smile.

Leo stared down at his book, ignoring her.

"Oh come on, I know. You are not very skilled in sneaking around, are you?" Elizabeth scooted next to him, her wavy auburn hair swishing behind her as her eyes surveyed the pages of his book. Leo knew she couldn't read, so why was she trying to?

"I lived on the streets for a while so I just…" She started.

"Why do you sneak out?" Leo asked, with a cold voice.

"Why do _you_ sneak out?" Elizabeth asked right back, but with an obvious sense of humor in her voice.

Leo slammed his book close. "I can't read." He said, bluntly.

"Am I the reason you can't?" Elizabeth asked, playfully.

Leo slid the book underneath his bed, and plopped down on the side of his bed.

"I understand. You want to see what you don't have." Elizabeth's golden eyes seemed to glow in the light of the moon, escaping through the boarded-up windows. "But y'know, that only makes things more painful for you."

She stood and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Try not to get caught next time."

Leo's growing navy blue eyes followed her as she walked away and tucked herself into her bed.

Elizabeth was the eldest among the other children especially Leo but despite her age, she was quite silly. Silly but kind she was, and she always gave good advice. She did have a nasty habit of correcting Ms. Penstemon though and Ms. Penstemon wouldn't have that. In any way, not one child was spared from Ms. Penstemon's personality.

Leo pondered what Elizabeth said that night, about his reasons for leaving every day, for visiting outside the orphanage, for peering into the windows of vast stores and markets. He didn't feel so strange now that another felt the same way but there were more curious matters. More than anything else, what was on his mind the most was the astonishing moment with the mysterious tinker he had met that day, and the puzzling unnerving words he spoke thereafter, "Nobody ever goes in, nobody ever comes out."


	2. Chapter 2

The sky was still notably dark when Leo veered out of his bed. Careful not to make a sound, he quietly maneuvered his way to the door; the floor creaked underneath him.

As he ventured out into the hallway, he suspiciously turned his head twice to make sure the other children were still sound asleep. Before peeking out the slit of the door frame, he eyed Charlotte in particular, who tossed and turned in her bed, snoring loudly. _And yet she calls herself a perfect lady…_He shook his head, and the door closed with a small click.

He knew the others would not hesitate to rat him out, especially Charlotte, but in all honesty, he didn't really care if the others knew, or if they saw him. It would change nothing.

Whether it was the opinions of the others or Ms. Penstemon's punishment, nothing would stop him.

_She wakes after dawn. I should be fine_, Leo thought, as he lurked slowly down the hall, trying to keep his breath low and his steps light as possible. As he neared a corner, he spotted a dim light ahead, and quickly backed against the wall.

Biting his lip in agitation, he was unsure of what he would do if she came around the corner. There was no place to hide and it was already too late to return to the bedroom. He stood still as he heard footsteps approach.

A loud creak sounded out, startling Leo and the footsteps stopped suddenly. Leo held his breath. He knew if Ms. Penstemon caught him, he would not be able to sneak out. Worse, she would have her eyes on him all day. He didn't feel like being punished either.

Just then, the footsteps continued but they were fading, in the opposite direction. She was leaving the hall and heading down the stairs. _Why is she…this early? _Leo waited a moment until he was sure she was gone then slipped around the corner to the edge of the staircase.

There was something like a trap door in the main room, hidden under a large and wide old rug. Many of the other children knew about it, but they ignored it. On the contrary, Leo and Elizabeth used it nearly every day.

The others didn't know of course but Leo and Elizabeth liked to be very discreet, and never talked about their "adventures" to anyone, not even to each other. Mrs. Penstemon certainly didn't have a clue it was there and he was glad the hinge-less door uttered no noise when they opened it or else the beldam would have surely found it.

As Leo stepped off the stairs, he listened carefully for any sign of Ms. Penstemon then darted towards the fireplace, moving the heavy rug to the side. With a small dull knife, he pried the door open softly, and stared into the darkness below.

He was just about to stick his feet over the edge of the door, when a sudden high-pitched screech behind him caused his body to stiffen. **SLAM!** The trapdoor before him had snapped shut, the squawking wood splintering in the process. Leo's eyes rose to the glowering pug-faced Ms. Penstemon whose large foot was firmly planted atop the door.

"You little—!" With inhuman strength, the beldam scooped up Leo by his collar, slightly tearing it in the process, and dragged him across the wooden floor. Leo struggled, desperately twisting under her grip, but on account of her firm monstrous grip, he knew he was no match for her. "I've had just about enough of you! ...every inch of this house boarded up and you little pests are sneaking under the floorboards like rats!" The sound of her heavy footsteps boomed throughout the house, as she trudged up the stairs with Leo in hand.

A moment later, Leo cried out as the back of his head slammed against hard wood. Writhing in pain, he clutched his head.

"While you are up here, you will think on your behavior! This lesson will teach you… as will it be an example to the others." Ms. Penstemon scolded, begrudgingly. Leo tipped his throbbing head backwards, the pain rushing through his skull. His vision became blurry and Mrs. Penstemon slowly morphed into a haze just before she smashed the door close.

The noise rattled Leo's brain in his skull but he could hear her as she thundered down the stairs. The sound disappeared quicker than it came, and all was quiet.

Leo groaned softly. He did not want to move and he wasn't sure if he should either. He cupped the back of his head, but did not find blood, not even a drop. _At least it's not serious. _Despite every part of his body telling him not to move, Leo tried to pull himself up from the ground. He only managed to sit. Gritting his teeth, he applied pressure on his head, trying to soothe the pain in any way possible. _She did toss me hard though. She's inhuman. _

A few minutes passed, Leo stopped rubbing his head. The pain had shrunk into a numbing sensation that wasn't exactly pleasant but Leo could at least tolerate it to a degree.

Light was just beginning to leak its way through the broken remains of the window. Triangular shards of glass stuck to the frames like teeth along a shark's jaw discouraged adventurous orphans from using the window as a means of escape, and Leo knew they were right to not try to.

Even if one managed to brave the glass teeth, there was no way to get to the ground— unless you planned to break bones in the process. The room was completely empty. If not, it would have been child's play to find an object to scrape the shards from the panes, or even to create a makeshift rope out of blankets or clothes. But sadly there was nothing not even Leo could use. He just sat, with his bottom planted to the cold creaky floor, staring half-heartily at the arising sunlight.

He would have enjoyed seeing the sunrise from outside. At this time, he would have already been at the first place he visited, the apothecary, staring through the window, and watching the customers. _What am I doing? _Leo thought. _And I was told only five hours ago not to get caught._ He rested his chin on the back of his hand, pondering._ I wonder if Elizabeth managed to get out. _

Standing up on his two feet, Leo stepped toward the window, sliding his fingers through the cracks of the wall. He could barely feel the warm rays of light on his fingertips.

It made him feel slightly happy—a mad kind of happy that you can't fully understand, like the euphoria a prisoner feels when he breaks prison walls.

But just as a prisoner feels free when he steps in the light, he becomes lost in that light. The thought greatly troubled Leo.

Just as he was about to pull his fingers out, a thin papery object slid between his index and middle finger. Without another moment, he quickly pulled his hand out in shocking curiosity; his eyes widened in amazement at what he held—a ticket of some sorts, golden and garnished with a bold black writing incontestably spelling "GOLDEN TICKET".


End file.
